From Paul Orude Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State Government has empowered over 1200 vulnerable citizens with packages worth millions in Ganjuwa and Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State to reduce poverty through the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP) .
Mohammed, in company with top government officials and the First Lady Aisha Bala Mohammed, distributed on Tuesday at Kafin Madaki, the Ganjuwa Local Government Area headquarters and Darazo, the headquatres of Darazo local government areas respectively
He said the gesture carried by his administration to improve the economic status of the beneficiaries in the local government areas and the programme was being implemented across all the 20 LGAs of the state.
The governor, who disclosed that the programme was flagged off after carrying out need assessment of the beneficiaries, explained that over 1000 selected beneficiaries would be given the sum of 50,000.00 each to boost their business in the two local government areas.
Other beneficiaries, he disclosed, would will be given starter packages that includes grinding machines, bags of raw groundnuts for oil extraction, livestock, jerrycans of cooking oil and cash.
During the occasion, cars were also distributed to party stalwarts at the local government.
Speaking at the distribution ceremony in Kafin Madaki, Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Cooperative and Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, Barrister Buhari Mohammed Disina said, the distribution of the empowerment packages was a clear indication of government’s efforts towards reducing the poverty level in the state, especially in the rural areas.
Disina, whose agency is responsible for the implementation KEEP initiative, said Governor Mohammed had given the agency all the necessary support for the smooth implementation of the empowerment programme that which targets over 10,000.00 beneficiaries across the state.
“Due to the enabling environment of the current administration and Governor’s Bala Mohammed disposition towards enhancing living standards of the people, especially in the rural areas, some partners in skills acquisition agencies have expressed their readiness to partner with Bauchi State in impacting skills to youth in Bauchi State”, said Disina
In her goodwill message at the occasion, the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Mohammed thanked the state government for identifying with the plight of women and other vulnerable groups in state.
Hajia Mohammed commended her husband for his tremendous support to her pet project, Almuhibbah Foundation which has been receiving in her empowerment projects.
She then advised the beneficiaries to put use the starter packages to kick-start a petty trading and to also plough back part of the profits into the business.
A similar distribution exercise took plac on Tuesday in Darazo local government area, where over 700 vulnerable members of the LG benefited from the empowerment intervention